3. Choose a design and carefully cut it out of the acetate. You can use a printout from a computer or draw your own design. Cutting out the design can be the tedious part of the project. Be careful to cut on a surface that can’t be damaged. Acetate is strong enough to stencil several shirts.

4. Lay a T-shirt on a flat surface. Slide the cardboard inside the shirt so the paint or ink does not bleed through to the back of the shirt.

5. Lay the frame on top of the shirt. Smooth the shirt out and place a brick on each corner of the frame. The bricks hold the shirt flat and in place. Tape the stencil in place. Textile paint, acrylic paint and screen-printing ink are all thick and will not bleed under the stencil if you apply a thin coat to the roller and stencil.

6. Put the paint or ink onto the paper plate and roll a thin coat onto the sponge roller. Roll the ink through the stencil and onto the cloth. It might take two or three coats to get a nice solid color. Make sure you clean the roller and allow the ink to dry between coats.

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10 Comments on How to stencil custom shirts

WE have done something similar with our boys except we cut designs out on parchment paper then ironed it to shirt.We used speed ball ink found at Micheals crafts store to paint on stencil with small foam brush. Set by ironing when dry.Turned out great washed O.k.( My Son has worn hhis at least 20 times.